Releasable automatic fastener for a truck stake and like

ABSTRACT

For a combination of a stake with an elongated exposed section and, as a pertinent member, a relatively shorter end section, and, as another pertinent member, a receptacle for said end section,-an automatic fastener for the stake end section in the receptacle which fastener requires a substantially instantaneous double and forceful action in two different directions for removing the automatically fastened stake from the receptacle and comprises a sidewise exposed edge in one of said two pertinent members, a sidewise protruding clutching means secured with the other of said two pertinent members for engaging against said edge when therebelow and pushed sidewise thereagainst, an outwardly resilient normally sidewise protruding compressible means secured with one of said two pertinent members for being resiliently compressed when within the receptacle for pushing said clutching means sidewise against said edge automatically when said end section is within said receptacle and the clutching means is below said edge while the compressible means remains substantially compressed, a means for removing the clutching means from the edge and, therewhile, the stake from the receptacle by farther compressing the compressible means with overcoming contra side pressure applied against the elongated exposed section of the stake and by therewhile pulling the latter from the receptacle.

Unite Sttes atet Swanson [54] RELEASABLE AUTOMATIC FASTENER FOR A TRUCKSTAKE AND LIKE [72] lnventor: Raymond W. Swanson, 14515 CornishcrestRoad, Whittier, Calif, 90604 [22] Filed: Jan. 2, 1970 [211 AppLNo; 211

52 us. C1 ..296/43,l05/382,256/l, V 287/20.5SL 51 1nt.Cl Beam/0s 581Field of Search ..296/43;280/143, 147; 105/382,

105/390; 287/205 SL, 57 CT, DIG. 9; 256/1; 2/298, 296, 297, 709, 726

Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-John A. Pekar July4,1972

[57 ABSTRACT For a combination of a stake with an elongated exposedsection and, as a pertinent member, a relatively shorter end section,and, as another pertinent member, a receptacle for said end section,anautomatic fastener for the stake end section in the receptacle whichfastener requires a substantially instantaneous double and forcefulaction in two different directions for removing the automaticallyfastened stake from the receptacle and comprises a sidewise exposed edgein one of said two pertinent members, a sidewise protruding clutchingmeans secured with the other of said two pertinent members for engagingagainst said edge when therebelow and pushed sidewise thereagainst. anoutwardly resilient normally sidewise protruding compressible meanssecured with one of said two pertinent members for being resilientlycompressed when within the receptacle for pushing said clutching meanssidewise against said edge automatically when said end section is withinsaid receptacle and the clutching means is below said edge while thecompressible means remains substantially compressed, a means forremoving the clutching means from the edge and, therewhile, the stakefrom the receptacle by farther compressing the compressible means withovercoming contra side pressure applied against the elongated exposedsection of the stake and by therewhile pulling the latter from thereceptacle.

PATENTEUJUL 41972 3674304 SHEETZOF 3 I/v vewro/e RELEASABLE AUTOMATICFASTENER FOR A TRUCK STAKE AND LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention The present invention relates to trucks and like, theirrespective stakes and stake receptacles, and more specifically tofasteners of the stakes in the stake receptacles.

2. Description of the Prior Arts There are prior art devices forlocking, clamping, bolting and/or otherwise attempting to secure atruckstake in a stake receptacle against theft or accidental fall-out. Someof them require a key to unlock, which key can be easily misplaced orlost; others may need a screwdriver, a monkey-wrench or other likewiseseparate suitable tools to release or remove the locking elements. Someof them have their locking mechanisms exposed to open view for easierand faster operation by the truck attendants, and, while they do servethat purpose and do prevent accidental fall-out of the stake, they areat the same time a relatively easy prey for a common thief with aminimum of mechanical experience; likewise mechanisms in less accessiblelocations, such, for instance, as under the truck platform, handicap anddelaythe truck attendants yet fail to provide a reasonable insuranceagainst a determined thief once he locates the lock and can easilyobserve and understand the heretofore visibly apparent means ofunlocking the same.

There are few basic characteristics common with all hereto fore knowndevices for locking the stake in the receptacle, i.e. once it isunlocked the stake may be pulled out or fall out from the receptacle anytime thereafter, thus, if the attendant forgets to lock the stake thelatter may fall out from the receptacle while the truck is moving over.a bumpy road, and a thief needs to be concerned first only withunlocking the heretofore locks as, once it is done, his conventionalexperience tells him that he can pull the stake out from the receptaclethereafter any time at leisure and/or convenience; all heretofore stakelocking devices require a separate operation to lock the stake in thereceptacle and two separated from each other operations for removing thestake locked in the receptacle,-first-- unlocking the stack,second-pulling it out any time thereafter, which is a double work forthe truck attendant, and is a convenience for a thief; and allheretofore truck stake locking devices, by their very outsideappearance, expose instantly what is required to have them unlocked orbroken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present inventionmight involve-for a combination of a truck stake, its end section, itsexposed section and a stake receptacle with side walls and an exposededge-a fastener securable with the end section of the stake andcomprising a sidewise outwardly resilient compressible first means forpushing the end section of the stake against the side wall of thereceptacle with the exposed edge when the end section of the stake isinserted into the receptacle while the first means is compressed againstthe opposite wall of the receptacle; and a stationary contra sidewiseprotruding second means for gripping against the exposed edge of thereceptacle when brought there-below while being likewise pushed sidewisetogether with the end section of the stake by the first means; and athird means for releasing the fastener and removing the stake from thereceptacle and responsive to a sidewise, the first-means-resiliencyovercoming, push against the exposed section of the stake in thedirection of the protrusion of the second means, and, therewhile, to apull of the stake from the receptacle.

A second embodiment of this invention may provide, for instance, a notchin the side wall of the stakeend-section instead of the exposed edge inthe receptacle, and the first means secured with an inner side wall ofthe receptacle instead of the stake-end-section and sidewise resilientinwardly instead of outwardly, and the second means for gripping againstthe notch secured to the opposite inner side wall of the receptacle.

A third embodiment of this invention may provide, for example, the notchand the second means as in the second embodiment while the first meanssecured as in the first embodiment.

In a fourth embodiment of this invention the exposed edge and thesecondmeans may be as in the first embodiment while the first means as in thesecond embodiment.

Either one of the above exemplified various embodiments would achievethe following objects of this invention without departure from the basicprinciples thereof as disclosed and thought herein.

The above are just few examples of many various modifications possibleand obvious to anyone skilled in the art once the present basicdisclosure and teaching; are revealed; and the exemplified four alsoshould demonstrate that, in conceiving this invention, its reduction topractice was not, is not and should not be limited to a singleembodiment thereof.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide improvedfastener for a stake in a receptacle.

Another object of this invention is to provide such fastener which willfasten the stake in the receptacle automatically once the stake isinserted into the receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide such fastener withmeans for making it practically undetectable to an untrained eye whenthe stake-end-section is in the receptacle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such fastener withinconspicuous means for unfastening thereof.

Another important object of this invention is to provide inconspicuousmeans for rendering separate operation of a mere unfastening of thefastener ineffective and insufficient for thereafter separate effort toremove the stake from the receptacle.

Consequently it is an object of this invention to provide a means forremoving the automatically fastened stake from the receptacle requiringsimultaneous application of two commonly entirely unrelated physicaloperations against an exposed section of the stake. with a method, aforce and a direction unknown to an untrained person.

An important object of this invention is to make its reduction topractice simple and inexpensive to manufacture and substantially easy tooperate but only for a person taught of its concealed features and themethod, a direction and a force required for the operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The full nature of the invention willbe understood from the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription and claims. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a truck stake comprising featuresof this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of a truck stake receptacle comprisingan element for this invention.

FIG. 3 is aside cross-sectional view of the truck stake end sectionpartly inserted into the truck stake receptacle with a feature of thisinvention engaged.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the truck stake end sectionfully inserted into the truck stake receptacle with two features of thisinvention engaged for automatic fastening of said end section with saidreceptacle.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plain view taken at 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front side plain view of the stake lower section taken at6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a relatively enlarged perspective side and top view of apreferred resilient and compressible element for this invention.

FIG. 8 is a relatively enlarged perspective side and top view of apreferred gripping element for this invention, and of an upwardlyprotruding bolt secured to the top side of said gripping element. 1

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a truck-platform-section and a plainside view of the truck-stake-receptacle stationary secured in a providedtherefore hole in the truck-platform, and a plain side view of the truckstake in said receptacle manually unfastened in the process for beingpulled out from the receptacle.

FIG. 10 is sectionally plain and sectionally cross-sectional side viewof the modified second embodiment of this inven tion.

FIG. 11 is sectionally plain and sectionally cross-sectional side viewof the further modified third embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 12 is sectionally plain and sectionally cross-sectional side viewof the still further modified fourth embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For the purpose of promoting anunderstanding of the principles of this invention, reference will now bemade to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specificlanguage will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless beunderstood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is therebyintended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrateddevice, and such further applications of the principles of the inventionas illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to oneskilled in the art to which the invention relates.

In reference to the drawings:

In FIG. 1 a truck stake 10 is made of metal and has indicated hollowsections 10A and 10B and side openings 1 1, 12 and 13 leading into therespective hollow sections. The hollow section 108 has a solid bottom 14with an edge recess 15 facing opening 13 (FIGS. 1 and 6). Under andadjacent to the bottom 14 is placed a substantially square rubber-likepad 16 (FIGS. 1,6 and 7) with a portion 16A thereof normally protrudingsidewise outwardly from the recess 15 and beyond the stake-end-section17 (FIG. 1 The pad 16 has a relatively small hold 168 (FIG. 7) for abolt passage therethrough. Under and adjacent to the pad 16 is placed alikewise substantially square but strong and rigid metal plate 18(FIG. 1) with a relatively small portion 18A thereof slightly protrudingsidewise outwardly beyond the stake 10 sidewall with the opening 12.Thus said protrusion of the plate 18 is in a direction opposite to thedirection of the protrusion of the pad 16. The plate 18 (FIG. 8) has abolt 19 welded thereto vertically and adapted to be inserted through thehole 168 in the pad 16 and through and beyond a corresponding hole inthe bottom 14 (FIGS. 1,3,4 and 6) of stake 10 into the hollow section108 thereof where it is tightened with a nut 20 to secure firmly the pad16 and plate 18 in above described illustrated positions in relation toeach other and the stake 10.

In FIG. 2 a metal stake-receptacle 21 has four side walls including wall21A, has no top nor bottom whereby its edge 22 is exposed and may beused as an element in this invention as will be explained below.Receptacle 21 is of size shape and form adapted to receive thestake-end-section 17 with the stationary sidewise protruding portion 18Aof plate 18 when the normally sidewise protruding portion 16A of therubber-like (resilient and compressible) pad 16 is compressed into therecess 15 (FIGS. 1 and 6) as shown in FIG. 3.

Receptacle 21 may be stationary secured in a provided therefore hole ina truck loading platfonn 23 (FIG. 9) with any suitable means, forinstance, if such platform is of metal the receptacle 21 may be weldedthereto in said hole, or pressfitted into; if such platform is of wood,the receptacle 21 may be press-fitted into the platform hole, or furthersecured therein from coming out by, for example, a fish-hook-like actingspringy thin bars, like bar 24 (FIGS. 2,3 and 9) having its lower halfwelded to side wall 21A of receptacle 21, and its upper half normallyextending upwardly and resiliently sidewise and susceptible of beingpressed flat against sidewall 21A when receptacle 21 is press-fittedinto the hole of wooden platform 23 (FIG. 9) and retaining its sidewiseresiliency against adjacent thereto wooden wall of the hole in theplatform 23 for resisting a manual effort of pulling the receptacle 21out of the hole in platform 23. The sidewise protruding thickness of bar24 should not be a great obstacle in a hammer or power press-fitting ofthe receptacle 21 into a hole of wooden platform 23, but should sufficeto cause adequate resistance to a manual efiort against pushing thereceptacle 2] farther or clear through the hole in wooden platform 23.Of course, a pushing of a receptacle clear through a hole would byitself be impossible if their respective walls are bevelled, or theupper edges of a receptacle are bent sidewise, or any other suitablemeans is provided thereagainst. Likewise, any other suitable means forthe basic purpose of this invention may be used, for example, in placeof the rubber-or-neoprene-like pad 16, for instance, a metal spring,and, in place of the metal plate 18, a suitably shaped protuberancewelded to or other wise secured to the bottom 14, or forming a part ofthe stake itself, instead of bolt 19 a common bolt may be used through ahole in a plain flat metal plate like plate 18, etc..

The illustrated embodiment was chosen for its apparent simplicity, easeto manufacture, susceptibility of application to already existent stakesand receptacles, proven efliciency and dependability andinsusceptibility of being observed, understood and overcome by anuntrained thief and common tools such as a screwdriver or a wrench. Itsfully concealed inconspicuousness extends even to the bottom of theengagement as shown in FIG. 5, and its process of operation cannot belearned from the outside visible appearance of the engagement as willbecome apparent from the below description.

PROCESS OF OPERATION To insert the end section 17 of stake 10 intoreceptacle 21 for having it automatically fastened therein, the stake 10should be held slightly tilted in relation to receptacle 21 to allow alower portion of the front edge of the thickness of the protuberance 18Ato assume contacting position against the upper inner edge of theside-wall 21A, then, maintaining said engagement of said edges, thestake 10 should be straightened in relation to the receptacle 21 andsimultaneously forcibly pushed into the latter (FIG. 3) to overcome theresiliency of the protuberance 16A and force the latter to bend upwardlyand compress itself into and against the recess 15. The inserting of theend section 17 should continue until stopped by the outwardly sidewiseprotruding edge 17A of the stake 10 colliding against the upper edge ofthe receptacle 21 side-wall 218. When such collision occurs the endsection 17 will become fully inserted into the receptacle 21, theoutwardly resilient protrusion 16A of the rubber-like pad 16 stillremaining Within the receptacle 21 substantially compressed in therecess 15 by the adjacent receptacle-inner-wall and thus stillexercising sidewise pressure against the plate 18 which by then assumesposition slightly below the receptacle 21 and, being so pressed by thecompressed resiliency of the protrusion 16A, will have its protrusion18A snap sidewise under and against the exposed edge 22 of thereceptacle 21 thereby automatically fastening the end section 17 ofstake 10 in the receptacle 21 (FIG. 4).

To remove the so fastened stake 10 from the receptacle 21 two,ordinarily separate, different and unrelated to each other, manualefforts have to be applied substantially simultaneously as follows:

with a prior knowledge of a force required to farther compress thealready substantially compressed protrusion 16A between the receptacle21 inner wall and the recess 15, and for better leverage thereagainst afirm manual grip should be applied over an upper exposed section of thestake 10 (FIG. 9). While in such a grip the stake 10 should be forciblypushed sidewise in the same direction as is the direction of theprotrusion 18A of the plate 18 to force said protrusion 18A in theopposite direction away from its fastening entanglement with and againstthe exshould be substantially simultaneously pulled upwardly to causethe protrusion 18A to enter the receptacle 21, as,

otherwise, said protrusion 18A will again immediately and automaticallysnap back to its prior fastening involvement against said edge 22.

Since most of the truck stakes are stolen by young kids and juveniles itis recommended that the resilient means in this invention such, forinstance, as the pad 16, be of a resilient strength susceptible of beingcompressed by a healthy adult only and using the full leverage advantageallowed by the exposed length of the stake.

The illustrated embodiment of this invention indicates that a pressureof a truck load against the fastened stake would add to the difficultyof unfastening and removing the stake. Some users, who have to removesome of the stakes before unloading and while the load is pressingagainst said stakes, may resent such additional handicap in unfasteningthe stakes. In such cases an embodiment of this invention obviously maybe provided where the pertinent elements are arranged for allowing theunfastening-of-the-stake pressure be parallel to the truck load insteadof thereagainst, which, of course, in no way would jeopardize the basicobjects of this invention.

FIG. of the drawings illustrates the heretofore taught and disclosedsecond embodiment of this invention, specifically the notch 12A in theside wall of the end section 17B of stake 10C; a compressible firstmeans 16C for resiliently pushing said end section 1713 when compressedthereby and secured with inner side wall of receptacle 21C and issidewise resilient inwardly; and the second means 24F for grippingagainst the notch 12A when brought there opposite and secured to theinner side wall of receptacle 21C opposite the first means 16C. Itfurther shows stake receptacle 21C secured in truck-platforrn 23A withcooperating prongs 24D and 245 substantially as receptacle 21 inplatform 23 in FIG. 9, and shows lower end section 17B of stake 10Cinserted into receptacle 21C as far as stop member 17C (similar to 17Ain FIG. 1) permits, and shows the first means 16C resiliently compressedby stakeend-section 17B, and the second means 24F engaged with notch12A.

FIG. 11 of the drawings illustrates the heretofore taught and disclosedthird embodiment of the invention, specifically notch 128 in thesidewall of end section 17E of stake 10D; clutching means 246 forengaging notch 12B is here secured to the inner wall of receptacle 21D;and the compressible resilient means 16D for pushing stake-end-section17E when compressed thereby is here similar to pad 16 in FIGS. 3,4 and7, and is secured to the bottom of stake-end-section 17E as in the firstembodiment by, for instance, the shown suited bolt 19B, plate 18C andnut B, and serves the same purpose and in the same manner as pad 16 inFIGS. 1,3,4,6,7 and 9. It further shows stake-end-section 17E insertedinto receptacle 21D as far as stop member 17D (similar to 17A in FIG. 1)permits, and shows the compressible means 16D compressed bystake-end-section 17E, and the clutching means 24G engaged with notch12B.

FIG. 12 of the drawings illustrates the heretofore taught and describedfourth embodiment of this invention, specifically the inwardly exposededge 22A of receptacle 21E and the gripping means Le. the protrudingpart 18E of plate 18D secured to the bottom wall of stake-end-section17G via bolt 19C and nut 20C, substantially as plate 18 in FIG. 4 andserving here the same purpose and in the same manner for engagingagainst said edge 22A when brought therebelow and pushed thercagainst;and the compressible resilient means 16E for pushing stake-end-section17G when thereby compressed is secured here with inner side wall ofreceptacle 21E opposite the wall which has the exposed edge 22A and issidewise resilient inwardly; it also shows the end-section 17G of stake10E inserted into receptacle 21E as far as stop member 17F (similar to17A FIG. 1) permits, end shows the compressible means 16E compressed bysaid end-section 17G, and the gripping means 18E engaged against edge22A.

From the above showing and description it should be apparent that therelease of the respective stakes engaged as shown and described in therespective receptacles in FIGS.

10,] l and 12 may be accomplished in the same manner as has beendescribed in reference to FIGS. 1-9, and as indicated by the arrowssimilar to arrows indicating likewise method of release in FIG. 9.

The invention claimed here is:

1. For a combination of a stake with an elongated exposed section and,as a pertinent member, a relatively shorter end section, and, as anotherpertinent member, a receptacle for said end section,

an automatic fastener for the stake-end-section in the receptacle whichfastener requires a substantially instantaneous double action in twodifferent directions for removing the automatically fastened stake fromthe receptacle and comprises a sidewise exposed edge in one of said twopertinent members, a sidewise protruding clutching means secured withthe other of said two pertinent members for engaging against said edgewhen therebelow and is pushed sidewise thereagainst, an outwardlyresilient normally sidewise protruding compressible means secured withone of said two pertinent members for being resiliently compressed whenwithin the receptacle for pushing said clutching means sidewise forautomatic engagement against said edge when said end section is withinsaid receptacle and the clutching means is below said edge while thecompressible means remains substantially compressed;

the stake being removable from the receptacle by pushing the exposedsection of the stake in the direction of the location of the clutchingmeans with a force sufficient to compress further the compressible meansto the extent where the clutching means becomes released, and,thereupon, pulling the stake from the receptacle without reducing theextent of the push which releases the clutching means.

2. For a combination of a truck-stake end section and a stake-receptaclewith interior side walls having an inwardly exposed edge,

a fastener securable with the end section of the stake and comprising asidewise outwardly resilient compressible first member for engaging aninterior side wall and thereunder a contra-sidewise outwardly protrudingclutching second member for engaging against the inwardly exposed edgewhen brought therebelow by inserting the stake-end-section into thereceptacle when the first member is resiliently compressed against theopposite interior wall of the receptacle.

3. For a combination of a truck-stake with an elongated exposed section,and a relatively shorter end section with a bottom having a sidewiseexposed recess of a predetermined depth extended upwardly to the endsection, and a suitably shaped and sized stake receptacle with sidewalls, and a lower edge from its sidewall exposed inwardly, and a meansfor restricting the extent of the stake insertion into the receptaclefor keeping the exposed edge of the receptacle below and at apredetermined distance from the stake bottom when the stake-end-sectionis substantially fully inserted into the receptacle,

comprising an automatic fastener for the stake-end-section in thereceptacle including a nonnally substantially flat pad of a thicknessslightly exceeding the predetermined recess depth in the bottom sectionof the stake and the predetermined distance from the stake bottom to thereceptacle exposed edge, and of a resilient and compressible material,and secured flat against the stake bottom with a portion thereofprotruding sidewise from the exposed recess and beyond thestake-end-section and compressible into said recess and] resilientagainst the adjacent receptacle-inner-side-walll when the end section isinserted into the receptacle, and is adapted for exercising a continuoussidewise pressure against the end section towards an oppositereceptacle--inner-wall with the exposed edge when the end section is inthe receptacle; a substantially flat rigid plate secured to the stakebottom under and substantially flat against said pad, and having aportion thereof protruding sidewise slightly beyond the side of the endsection which is opposite to the side having the recess, for fasteningitself automatically against the exposed edge when brought immediatelytherebelow by the thickness of the pad when the end section issubstantially fully inserted into the receptacle, and while beingpressed sidewise thereagainst by the resiliency of the compressedportion of the pad.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and a means for fastening therigid plate to the bottom of the stake under the flat pad and comprisinga bolt member upwardly protruding from the upper face side of the plate,a hole through the pad for said bolt member passage therethrough, areceptacle in the bottom section of the stake for the loose end sectionof said bolt member for fastening the latter to the bottom section ofthe stake via said bolt member-receptacle.

5. For a combination of a truck-stake and a stake receptacle, anautomatic fastener for the stake in the receptacle and comprising anotch with outwardly exposed edge in the side wall of thestake-end-section, a compressible and resilient member secured to theinner wall of the receptacle, a clutching member secured to andprotruding inwardly from the opposite inner wall of the receptaclesubstantially opposite the compressible member and adapted to engage inthe notch against its exposed edge when the notch is broughtthereagainst and the compressible and resilient member is compressed bythe stake-end-section to exercise pressure thereagainst towards theclutching member when the end-section of the stake is inserted into thereceptacle.

6. For a combination of a truck-stake and stake-receptacle, an automaticfastener for the stake in the receptacle and comprising a notch withoutwardly exposed edge in the side wall of the stake-end-section, aclutching member secured to and protruding inwardly from the inner wallof the receptacle and adapted to engage the notch and against itsexposed edge when the notch is brought and pressed thereagainst, acompressible and resilient member secured to the stake-end-section andprotruding from its side which is opposite to the side having the notch,said compressible and resilient member adapted to press the notchtowards and against the clutching member when the end section of thestake is inserted into the receptacle and the resilient member isthereby compressed against the inner wall of the receptacle which wallis opposite to its wall having the clutching member.

7. For a combination of a truck-stake and a stake receptacle, anautomatic fastener for the stake in the receptacle and comprising aninwardly exposed edge in the receptacle, a clutching member secured toand protruding sidewise from the end-section of the stake and adapted toengage against the exposed edge when brought therebelow and pressedsidewise thereagainst, a compressible and resilient member secured tothe inner wall of the receptacle substantially opposite to its exposededge and adapted to press sidewise the clutching member against theexposed edge when the end-section of the stake is inserted into thereceptacle and the compressible and resilient member is therebycompressed.

1 ,Mssif

1. For a combination of a stake with an elongated exposed section and,as a pertinent member, a relatively shorter end section, and, as anotherpertinent member, a receptacle for said end section, an automaticfastener for the stake-end-section in the receptacle which fastenerrequires a substantially instantaneous double action in two differentdirections for removing the automatically fastened stake from thereceptacle and comprises a sidewise exposed edge in one of said twopertinent members, a sidewise protruding clutching means secured withthe other of said two pertinent members for engaging against said edgewhen therebelow and is pushed sidewise thereagainst, an outwardlyresilient normally sidewise protruding compressible means secured withone of said two pertinent members for being resiliently compressed whenwithin the receptacle for pushing said clutching means sidewise forautomatic engagement against said edge when said end section is withinsaid receptacle and the clutching means is below said edge while thecompressible means remains substantially compressed; the stake beingremovable from the receptacle by pushing the exposed section of thestake in the direction of the location of the clutching means with aforce sufficient to compress further the compressible means to theextent where the clutching means becomes released, and, thereupon,pulling the stake from the receptacle without reducing the eXtent of thepush which releases the clutching means.
 2. For a combination of atruck-stake end section and a stake-receptacle with interior side wallshaving an inwardly exposed edge, a fastener securable with the endsection of the stake and comprising a sidewise outwardly resilientcompressible first member for engaging an interior side wall andthereunder a contra-sidewise outwardly protruding clutching secondmember for engaging against the inwardly exposed edge when broughttherebelow by inserting the stake-end-section into the receptacle whenthe first member is resiliently compressed against the opposite interiorwall of the receptacle.
 3. For a combination of a truck-stake with anelongated exposed section, and a relatively shorter end section with abottom having a sidewise exposed recess of a predetermined depthextended upwardly to the end section, and a suitably shaped and sizedstake receptacle with side walls, and a lower edge from its sidewallexposed inwardly, and a means for restricting the extent of the stakeinsertion into the receptacle for keeping the exposed edge of thereceptacle below and at a predetermined distance from the stake bottomwhen the stake-end-section is substantially fully inserted into thereceptacle, comprising an automatic fastener for the stake-end-sectionin the receptacle including a normally substantially flat pad of athickness slightly exceeding the predetermined recess depth in thebottom section of the stake and the predetermined distance from thestake bottom to the receptacle exposed edge, and of a resilient andcompressible material, and secured flat against the stake bottom with aportion thereof protruding sidewise from the exposed recess and beyondthe stake-end-section and compressible into said recess and resilientagainst the adjacent receptacle--inner-side-wall when the end section isinserted into the receptacle, and is adapted for exercising a continuoussidewise pressure against the end section towards an oppositereceptacle--inner-wall with the exposed edge when the end section is inthe receptacle; a substantially flat rigid plate secured to the stakebottom under and substantially flat against said pad, and having aportion thereof protruding sidewise slightly beyond the side of the endsection which is opposite to the side having the recess, for fasteningitself automatically against the exposed edge when brought immediatelytherebelow by the thickness of the pad when the end section issubstantially fully inserted into the receptacle, and while beingpressed sidewise thereagainst by the resiliency of the compressedportion of the pad.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 and a meansfor fastening the rigid plate to the bottom of the stake under the flatpad and comprising a bolt member upwardly protruding from the upper faceside of the plate, a hole through the pad for said bolt member passagetherethrough, a receptacle in the bottom section of the stake for theloose end section of said bolt member for fastening the latter to thebottom section of the stake via said bolt member-receptacle.
 5. For acombination of a truck-stake and a stake receptacle, an automaticfastener for the stake in the receptacle and comprising a notch withoutwardly exposed edge in the side wall of the stake-end-section, acompressible and resilient member secured to the inner wall of thereceptacle, a clutching member secured to and protruding inwardly fromthe opposite inner wall of the receptacle substantially opposite thecompressible member and adapted to engage in the notch against itsexposed edge when the notch is brought thereagainst and the compressibleand resilient member is compressed by the stake-end-section to exercisepressure thereagainst towards the clutching member when the end-sectionof the stake is inserted into the receptacle.
 6. For a combination of atruck-stake and stake-receptacle, an automatic fastener for the stake inthe receptacle and comprising a notch with outwardly exposed edge iN theside wall of the stake-end-section, a clutching member secured to andprotruding inwardly from the inner wall of the receptacle and adapted toengage the notch and against its exposed edge when the notch is broughtand pressed thereagainst, a compressible and resilient member secured tothe stake-end-section and protruding from its side which is opposite tothe side having the notch, said compressible and resilient memberadapted to press the notch towards and against the clutching member whenthe end section of the stake is inserted into the receptacle and theresilient member is thereby compressed against the inner wall of thereceptacle which wall is opposite to its wall having the clutchingmember.
 7. For a combination of a truck-stake and a stake receptacle, anautomatic fastener for the stake in the receptacle and comprising aninwardly exposed edge in the receptacle, a clutching member secured toand protruding sidewise from the end-section of the stake and adapted toengage against the exposed edge when brought therebelow and pressedsidewise thereagainst, a compressible and resilient member secured tothe inner wall of the receptacle substantially opposite to its exposededge and adapted to press sidewise the clutching member against theexposed edge when the end-section of the stake is inserted into thereceptacle and the compressible and resilient member is therebycompressed.